CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI – After receiving complaints from individuals who were denied representation by Legal Aid, an inquiry by OmbudsPEI has resulted in the commitment to create a new internal policy. The policy will ensure fair decisions are made when an application for representation is denied. OmbudsPEI received complaints from two individuals who alleged that Legal…
Read articleOmbudsPEI received two complaints alleging that Legal Aid unfairly denied or cancelled their applications for representation. One complainant was initially accepted, however their first meeting with their Legal Aid lawyer ended abruptly after only a few minutes with the Legal Aid lawyer deciding they wouldn’t represent the complainant after all. No reason for this was…
Read articleCHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Following an inquiry into how PEI patients are chosen to be assigned to a practitioner from the province’s patient registry, new information providing a more transparent understanding of how patients are assigned to practitioners is now available to Islanders. OmbudsPEI had been contacted by a concerned individual who felt practitioners that were…
Read articleCHARLOTTETOWN, PEI – Ombudsperson Sandy Hermiston is voicing her support for a March 20th motion passed unanimously by the Legislative Assembly calling for the creation of legislation to guide service procurement in PEI. OmbudsPEI worked with Procurement Services and Treasury Board to agree to post the policies guiding the service procurement process to ensure that…
Read articleCHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – OmbudsPEI has tabled its first annual report, which highlights the creation, growth, work and statistics of the office’s first 14 months of operation. On Nov. 29, the report was tabled during the fall sitting of the Legislative Assembly. The report includes a breakdown of the number of cases received and investigated by…
Read articleCHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – In the wake of concerns raised in a recently released report commissioned by UPEI which reviewed the University’s practices and processes with respect to harassment, discrimination and fair treatment, the Legislative Assembly has amended the Ombudsperson Act to grant jurisdiction to the Ombudsperson over post-secondary institutions. “This change in the Ombudsperson Act…
Read articleCHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – OmbudsPEI is releasing its first public resource, a guide to help lead municipal governments through the process of holding closed meetings to ensure that the province’s open meeting laws are consistently applied. OmbudsPEI is aware of concerns that some municipalities may be discussing issues in closed meetings that should be discussed in…
Read articleCHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Steps are being taken to provide inmates at Prince Edward Island’s Provincial Correctional Centre (PCC) with improved treatment for opioid abuse following a 10-month investigation by the province’s office of the Ombudsperson. In Committing to Care: Improving the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in the Provincial Correctional System, OmbudsPEI examines how…
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